Get mentioned in ChatGPT, Perplexity and Gemini in 7 steps

A lot has been written about what AI models 'should' reward. This plan follows how AI models actually put answers together: tracking and technical basics first, then sources, then content. That's the order in which changes usually pay off fastest.

Step 1 — Measure your baseline

Pick twenty to fifty questions customers ask AI about your service, split across informational ('how much does a hybrid heat pump cost'), commercial ('compare the best heat pump installers') and transactional ('heat pump installation Fairfax'). Run them several times a day on at least three AI models and record the share of answers you appear in. Without a baseline, you won't know what worked.

Step 2 — Make sure AI can read your site

Open your robots.txt and check whether GPTBot (OpenAI), PerplexityBot, Google-Extended and ClaudeBot are allowed. Many sites block 'bots' out of an old security habit or through a plugin. A block means zero citations from that AI model. This is the cheapest fix with the biggest effect.

Step 3 — Make your business profile consistent

Name, address, specialty, service area and price range must be identical everywhere: your website, your business registration, Google Business Profile, comparison sites, industry associations, LinkedIn. AI models connect mentions to each other based on these details. Inconsistencies split your signal.

Step 4 — Map the sources

Check in your tracking which domains AI cites for your questions. Usually that's five to twelve sites: one or two comparison sites, trade media, a forum (often Reddit or an industry-specific platform), an association. Note which of them list your competitors and not you. That's your to-do list.

Step 5 — Get mentioned in the right places

Reach out to the sources from step 4. On comparison sites you can often sign up yourself. With trade media, an expert contribution or case study works. On forums, honest participation in discussions helps. Start with the source that has the most citations and doesn't list you yet. One mention on the right site can add several points of visibility.

Step 6 — Write answers, not brochures

Rewrite your core pages so they answer the customer's question the way an expert colleague would: concrete, with prices, lead times, terms and an honest comparison of options. Add an FAQ with the exact questions from your tracking. AI models cite pages that actually answer the question.

Step 7 — Measure again and create actions

Repeat the measurement weekly. Link every change to the prompts it should affect and check after thirty days what it did. That's how you build knowledge about what works in your market, and that varies by industry and region more than you think.